Oblivians Announce First New Album in 16 Years

The last time Memphis garage punks Oblivians released a proper album, it was 1997's ...Play 9 Songs With Mr. Quintron. Now, after playing a few reunion shows over the years, they're back with a new LP. Desperation is out June 4 via In the Red. Listen to "I'll Be Gone" over at Rolling Stone.

Oblivians are Jack Yarber (who released Rat City under his pseudonym Jack Oblivian in 2011), Eric Friedl (the founder of Goner Records), and Greg Cartwright (the frontman of Reigning Sound). They recorded Desperation at Dan Auerbach's Easy Eye Sound studio in Nashville. It also features the New Orleans duo Mr. Quintron and Miss Pussycat on "Call the Police".

Here's what Cartwright said about recording the new album, via a press release:

“Over the years as we would occasionally reunite for a festival or special occasion, the idea began to grow in the back of my mind. The idea of making a new record. Because as much as we enjoyed playing together, the thing I missed the most was creating together. So that’s what we did. I had just made a Reigning Sound record with Dan at his Easy Eye Sound in Nashville, TN. And it really knocked me out. Dan had a 1-inch Scully 8 track. I remember asking him how it sounded when he sent the equipment list. Dan’s answer. ‘It’s the greatest @#$%^&* tape machine in the world.’ He wasn’t kidding. Literally the perfect device for catching a live band. And that's the way the Oblivians had always made records. Most of our previous recordings had been done live on home recordings or at Doug Easley’s Easley-McCain Studios back in the day. Sadly, about seven years ago that studio burned down. So finding Dan’s studio was a big piece of the puzzle.”